I just got my replacement pair for walnut strands today -- they don't have the same quality issues the last ones have, but they still have a few niggles and I wanted a second opinion before I decide what to do.

There is some odd waviness in the coloration on the shoe (photo below). It's not too noticeable, but I'd feel better if someone can confirm that that will fade/even out as I condition and shine the shoe.

The other issue the the soles of the shoe -- the soles appear to be cut differently or different sizes. The photo below isn't the greatest, but I think it illustrates the point. On the right shoe, looking straight down, I can see the rim of the sole most of the way around. On the left shoe, the rim is much more hidden. The fit of the shoes themselves seem OK, but the soles are just different. I don't think it's very noticeable from someone else's perspective (i.e., not looking right down at them), so I'm leaning towards accepting it, but I'm interested in some other opinions.

Thanks!

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This is why I'm iffy about buying AE brand new. At the store hopefully you can make sure it's all good but even then, I was at one of the nordstroms looking at the Strand and theirs had the trim jagged cuts were frayed, leather quailty didn't look the nicest, etc. At sale prices they are a good bet as long as you don't expect a perfect shoe. In terms of build, seems they are solid though. Just the little details seem to be not there at times.

Question for you gentlemen, I bought that pair of AE for Brooks Brothers burnished caps and attempted to polish them (I live in Seattle and I need as much of a barrier between my nice leathers and the rain as I can get). I tried the lightest polish I could find (I used a tan kiwi and a light brown saphir and they still darkened the shoe pretty considerably. Now while I decided to just make them match by doing the bottoms all the way around to make the "burnished" all over, I don't actually want to change the color of the leather. I've posted a picture to show the difference in color between the uppers and the near the sole (where I polished). Any suggestions for a lighter polish that won't stain the leather?

As last month, I decided to start paying attention to style and fashion; before that I've always winged any sense of style. I've been reading this thread for the past couple of weeks, getting an idea of what I might like to buy eventually. I really like AE's shoe selection. I stopped by an AE store for the first time today after work to look at the Walnut Strands and to get an idea of what my shoe size is. I found out that I'm an 8.5 D, possibly a C (the sales person didn't have a C on-hand). I also found out that the shoe bumps right up against the bump part of my ankle bones, which is not comfortable. Does this happen to anyone else and if I were to purchase a pair of Strands, would I just have to put up with the discomfort until the shoes adjusted to my foot/ankle?

As last month, I decided to start paying attention to style and fashion; before that I've always winged any sense of style. I've been reading this thread for the past couple of weeks, getting an idea of what I might like to buy eventually. I really like AE's shoe selection. I stopped by an AE store for the first time today after work to look at the Walnut Strands and to get an idea of what my shoe size is. I found out that I'm an 8.5 D, possibly a C (the sales person didn't have a C on-hand). I also found out that the shoe bumps right up against the bump part of my ankle bones, which is not comfortable. Does this happen to anyone else and if I were to purchase a pair of Strands, would I just have to put up with the discomfort until the shoes adjusted to my foot/ankle?

Nicholas

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Nicholas, there are two options and they are not mutually exclusive. 1. Deal with it. Honestly, leather shoes have a breaking in period where everything will be stiff, as you wear them, they will soften and that will solve your rubbing problem. That said, I have always chosen option 2. get an extremely thin insole. You can pick these up almost everywhere, but you'll find that even a tiny bit of extra height is more than sufficient to get the edges of the shoe off of your ankle.
Don't pass on the strands because of the height. They are absolutely the best looking shoe for the price point.

However, many men - and I mean many - wear MacNeils with suits. But I am not one of them.

The shell v. calf debate - as to the issue of formality - is an interesting one. I have two black captoe Bals: (1) Edward Green Chelsea (black calf), and (2) Alden black shell. If each pair was well taken care of, and shined nicely, and a survey was taken, say, of men (or women) who had any clue how to dress, one of two results would be produced: (1) a tie, or (2) the Alden black shell would be deemed more formal. And the smart money would be on option 2. There is no black calf, at any price point, that shines like Alden's black shell.

As an aside, IMO, AE has taken a step in the right direction with its new finish on its black shell.

AE's shell - at least before they changed their finishes - was many times dull, almost opaque. Indeed, it was what kept me for the most part from buying its shell (although I still did from time to time).

So my commnets below do not include AE's "old" shell.

I have dozens of calf models and dozens of shell models, from various makers, shoes and boots. This is demonstrably false on both accounts. Nothing personal, it's just not true.

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This is why I was surprised to see that it is considered less formal across the board according to the "rules." I suppose shell does have a heavier look to it, which may be part of the reason, since greater levels of formality often lean towards a less heavy look. "Delicate" doesn't seem like the right word to describe greater levels of formality for men's clothing, but some other word to that nature is what I am trying to say. I'm sort of grasping at straws here though. I agree that it depends on the particular shell... the older AE shell shoes certainly do seem more casual due to their opaque look, which almost reminds me of caramel or toffee candy. However, Alden, other manufacturers, and the new AE shell finish frequently show a level of shine and smoothness that should compete with a formal calf any day of the week.

This is why I was surprised to see that it is considered less formal across the board according to the "rules." I suppose shell does have a heavier look to it, which may be part of the reason, since greater levels of formality often lean towards a less heavy look. "Delicate" doesn't seem like the right word to describe greater levels of formality for men's clothing, but some other word to that nature is what I am trying to say. I'm sort of grasping at straws here though. I agree that it depends on the particular shell... the older AE shell shoes certainly do seem more casual due to their opaque look, which almost reminds me of caramel or toffee candy. However, Alden, other manufacturers, and the new AE shell finish frequently show a level of shine and smoothness that should compete with a formal calf any day of the week.

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For the record, I was not necessarily agreeing with the rule, just mentioning that it exists. I wouldn't worry too much about it though, as the difference is very slight, especially if the shell finish does shine well. To readdress the poster's original question, I think the Cambridge is a nice shoe and still works with suits. My main reason for recommending the McAllister is the price.

Lots of us have returned shoes to AE before, myself included. It's unfortunate that you've had this happen twice in a row. If you're not in a hurry, I'd probably just go back to the local dealer, tell them your problems, and see if they're willing to give you a call when they received a pair worthy of your attention. In other words, let them deal with it.

For what it's worth, I had no issues with my return. I said they could repair my issue since they fit well, but they ended up shipping new shoes anyway. And they didn't tell me they shipped so I actually called them as I was getting concerned that they lost my work order. Lady on the phone says "Actually, they due to arrive at your place today". And they did

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The problem for me is that my local dealer is an hour and a half drive away, which is why I've mostly been dealing with shipping back and forth. At this point I'm consdering just returning them and being done with it. I may try Meermin or something... slightly lower price and the hassle of trying to return those shoes may force me to overlook any flaws, lol. Or return these and see if I can get a part of strands as factory seconds and just accept whatever flaws those might have at a cheaper price.

For the record, I was not necessarily agreeing with the rule, just mentioning that it exists. I wouldn't worry too much about it though, as the difference is very slight, especially if the shell finish does shine well. To readdress the poster's original question, I think the Cambridge is a nice shoe and still works with suits. My main reason for recommending the McAllister is the price.

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Oh, I didn't take it that way. That's why I keep putting "rules" in quotation marks. I agree on your recommendations, unless money is no object to the original poster. If he doesn't care about cost, Cambridges all the way in my opinion!

The problem for me is that my local dealer is an hour and a half drive away, which is why I've mostly been dealing with shipping back and forth. At this point I'm consdering just returning them and being done with it. I may try Meermin or something... slightly lower price and the hassle of trying to return those shoes may force me to overlook any flaws, lol. Or return these and see if I can get a part of strands as factory seconds and just accept whatever flaws those might have at a cheaper price.

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I wouldn't give up on AE yet. Their customer service is the best in the business, and frankly, you will have these shoes for many many years if you take good care of them. So, going through a couple of weeks of back and forth to get the pair you want will be long forgotten a few months after you get the right pair.

Just curious if anyone has any tips for dealing with a squeaky calf leather, as I have a somewhat odd problem. I have a pair of 10.5D Delrays that fit me well. When I walk, the leather in the right shoe squeaks but the left shoe doesn't make a sound. At first I thought it was just an issue of getting the shoe broken in a little bit, but after wearing them for a few months, nothing has really changed. I also thought that it could be a slight difference in the size of my feet, but even after loosening and/or tightening one or the other shoe, the right one always squeaks and the left one is always quiet.

When walking on hard surfaces, it isn't really a big deal as the sound of the heel strike tends to drown it out, but it's a tad annoying when walking on soft (i.e. carpeted) surfaces, such as in the office. Just sitting at my desk, when I flex and stretch my feet, the right shoe sqeaks a lot while the left doesn't squeak at all. Has anyone else run into a similar situation, and if so, any advice to offer?

Just curious if anyone has any tips for dealing with a squeaky calf leather, as I have a somewhat odd problem. I have a pair of 10.5D Delrays that fit me well. When I walk, the leather in the right shoe squeaks but the left shoe doesn't make a sound. At first I thought it was just an issue of getting the shoe broken in a little bit, but after wearing them for a few months, nothing has really changed. I also thought that it could be a slight difference in the size of my feet, but even after loosening and/or tightening one or the other shoe, the right one always squeaks and the left one is always quiet.

When walking on hard surfaces, it isn't really a big deal as the sound of the heel strike tends to drown it out, but it's a tad annoying when walking on soft (i.e. carpeted) surfaces, such as in the office. Just sitting at my desk, when I flex and stretch my feet, the right shoe sqeaks a lot while the left doesn't squeak at all. Has anyone else run into a similar situation, and if so, any advice to offer?

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You really need to try to figure out where the sound is coming from first. If the problem is in the heel, you may have to have some repair work done. However, it is not unusual for the tongue to squeak some when rubbing against the liner under the lacing flaps. If you think it is coming from the tongue, a small sprinkle of baby powder will help eliminate it. I had this issue with a pair and it took care of it.

Perhaps, you could post some pictures to let people comment more easily.

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Not sure if I have a high instep but here are some pics of the two issues. I will add that the shoes are comfortable. The pic of the gaping is with pressure on the heel touching the ground to simulate a stride.

You really need to try to figure out where the sound is coming from first. If the problem is in the heel, you may have to have some repair work done. However, it is not unusual for the tongue to squeak some when rubbing against the liner under the lacing flaps. If you think it is coming from the tongue, a small sprinkle of baby powder will help eliminate it. I had this issue with a pair and it took care of it.

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I'm almost positive that the squeaking is coming from the tongue rubbing against the leather above it (i.e. where the bottom of the eyelets are). It's definitely not the heel.

Thanks for the baby powder idea; I'll have to give it a try. I'm still not sure why the squeaking issue would only affect the right shoe, though.

I'm dealing with quite a bit of gaping around the ankle on my 5-last AE's (PA and McAllister) but the rest of the fit is great. Will this improve as they wear in more or is there anything anyone would suggest to minimize the issue?

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Actually, can you tell us what size you are wearing? And how did you pick that size?